A recent study by a local university that found 75 per cent of Malaysian teenagers had viewed pornography has sparked discussions about the need to include sex education in the curriculum.
The Women’s Centre for Change Penang (WCC) said the relevant ministries had discussed sex education for over 20 years but had nothing to show for it.
WCC project officer Yeap Yen Ying said ministries must come together to develop a suitable sex education curriculum and warned that easy access to the internet could lead to misinformation about sexuality.
“Sex education in schools is long overdue. The government should seriously consider providing comprehensive sexual and reproductive education,” Yeap told Twentytwo13.
“On the positive side, the current primary school curriculum has introduced body safety, bodily development, and reproductive health.
“It includes teaching children about good touch, bad touch, what to do if one experienced bad touch, incest, sexual grooming, body anatomy, and reproduction.”
Yeap said a sex education syllabus would be inclusive, as it would include children of various ethnicities and diversities.
“Unfortunately, some members of the public and many conservatives seem to think that sex education is teaching children how to have sex,” said Yeap.
She added that teachers teaching sex education need to be well-trained, with the appropriate skills and knowledge to use the correct terms in a sex education syllabus.
“Many educators often find sexual and reproductive education embarrassing, or may not know how to discuss this with adolescents, or feel that it is inappropriate for them to be aware of ‘such things’ as it will ‘give them ideas’.
“There is a general reluctance to acknowledge the sexuality of young people and an unwillingness to engage in honest or open discussions on sexual and reproductive rights and health.”
Yeap also agreed with Professor Datuk Dr NKS Tharmaseelan, a past president of the Malaysia Medical Association and Medico Legal Society of Malaysia, that sex education should start from home.
“Parents and guardians play a big role in sex education. Education on sexuality and reproduction should not be left entirely to the school,” said Yeap.
“Young people need accurate information about sexual and reproductive health to make informed decisions.
“Depending on the child’s capacity to understand and their developmental stage, parents are the best educators to teach their children about understanding sexuality and body autonomy.”
She said the danger of children having easy access to information online means that parents or guardians must be able to impart and discuss the correct information with their children.
She advised parents to ensure knowledge is contextualised by maintaining respectful relationships, considering societal moral, social, and religious norms, and dispelling or resolving any misunderstandings and false information.
